Thursday of week 34 in Ordinary Time

First reading

Apocalypse 18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9

Babylon the Great has fallen

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth was lit up with his glory. At the top of his voice he shouted, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird. Then a powerful angel picked up a boulder like a great millstone, and as he hurled it into the sea, he said, ‘That is how the great city of Babylon is going to be hurled down, never to be seen again.Never again in you, Babylon,will be heard the song of harpists and minstrels,the music of flute and trumpet;never again will craftsmen of every skill be foundor the sound of the mill be heard;never again will shine the light of the lamp,never again will be heardthe voices of bridegroom and bride.Your traders were the princes of the earth,all the nations were under your spell.

After this I seemed to hear the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing, ‘Alleluia! Victory and glory and power to our God! He judges fairly, he punishes justly, and he has condemned the famous prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication; he has avenged his servants that she killed.’ They sang again, ‘Alleluia! The smoke of her will go up for ever and ever.’ The angel said, ‘Write this: Happy are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb’, and he added, ‘All the things you have written are true messages from God.’

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 99(100):2-5

Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.

Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Go within his gates, giving thanks. Enter his courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.

Gospel

Luke 21:20-28

There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you must realise that she will soon be laid desolate. Then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in country districts must not take refuge in it. For this is the time of vengeance when all that scripture says must be fulfilled. Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!‘For great misery will descend on the land and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive to every pagan country; and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the pagans until the age of the pagans is completely over.‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.’

Wednesday of week 34 in Ordinary Time

First reading

Apocalypse 15:1-4

The victors sang the hymn of Moses and of the Lamb

What I, John, saw in heaven was a great and wonderful sign: seven angels were bringing the seven plagues that are the last of all, because they exhaust the anger of God. I seemed to see a glass lake suffused with fire, and standing by the lake of glass, those who had fought against the beast and won, and against his statue and the number which is his name. They all had harps from God, and they were singing the hymn of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb:‘How great and wonderful are all your works,Lord God Almighty;just and true are all your ways,King of nations.Who would not revere and praise your name, O Lord?You alone are holy,and all the pagans will come and adore youfor the many acts of justice you have shown.’

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 97(98):1-3,7-9

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders.His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.

The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations.He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.

Let the sea and all within it, thunder; the world, and all its peoples.Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the Lord.

For the Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth.He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.

Gospel

Luke 21:12-19

Your endurance will win you your lives

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’

Tuesday of week 34 in Ordinary Time

First reading

Apocalypse 14:14-19

The harvest and the vintage of the earth are ripe

In my vision I, John, saw a white cloud and, sitting on it, one like a son of man with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the sanctuary, and shouted aloud to the one sitting on the cloud, ‘Put your sickle in and reap: harvest time has come and the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ Then the one sitting on the cloud set his sickle to work on the earth, and the earth’s harvest was reaped.Another angel, who also carried a sharp sickle, came out of the temple in heaven, and the angel in charge of the fire left the altar and shouted aloud to the one with the sharp sickle, ‘Put your sickle in and cut all the bunches off the vine of the earth; all its grapes are ripe.’ So the angel set his sickle to work on the earth and harvested the whole vintage of the earth and put it into a huge winepress, the winepress of God’s anger.

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 95(96):10-13

Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’ The world he made firm in its place; he will judge the peoples in fairness.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let the sea and all within it thunder praise,let the land and all it bears rejoice, all the trees of the wood shout for joyat the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth.

With justice he will rule the world, he will judge the peoples with his truth.

Gospel

Luke 21:5-11

The destruction of the Temple foretold

When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.’

Monday of week 34 in Ordinary Time

First reading

Apocalypse 14:1-5

The redeemed has Christ and his Father's name written on their foreheads

In my vision I, John, saw Mount Zion, and standing on it a Lamb who had with him a hundred and forty-four thousand people, all with his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound coming out of the sky like the sound of the ocean or the roar of thunder; it seemed to be the sound of harpists playing their harps. There in front of the throne they were singing a new hymn in the presence of the four animals and the elders, a hymn that could only be learnt by the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the world; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes; they have been redeemed from amongst men to be the first-fruits for God and for the Lamb. They never allowed a lie to pass their lips and no fault can be found in them.

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 23(24):1-6

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples.It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him.Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Gospel

Luke 21:1-4

The widow's mite

As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their offerings into the treasury; then he happened to notice a poverty-stricken widow putting in two small coins, and he said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than any of them; for these have all contributed money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in all she had to live on.’

Christ the King

First reading

Daniel 7:13-14

I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man

I gazed into the visions of the night.And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven,one like a son of man.He came to the one of great ageand was led into his presence.On him was conferred sovereignty,glory and kingship,and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.His sovereignty is an eternal sovereigntywhich shall never pass away,nor will his empire ever be destroyed.

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 92(93):1-2,5

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed; the Lord has robed himself with might, he has girded himself with power.

The world you made firm, not to be moved; your throne has stood firm from of old. From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

Truly your decrees are to be trusted. Holiness is fitting to your house, O Lord, until the end of time.

Second reading

Apocalypse 1:5-8

Jesus Christ has made us a line of kings and priests

Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the First-Born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood, and made us a line of kings, priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. It is he who is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. This is the truth. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’ says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

Gospel

John 18:33-37

Yes, I am a king

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked. Jesus replied, ‘Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done?’ Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.’ ‘So you are a king then?’ said Pilate. ‘It is you who say it’ answered Jesus. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.’

Saints Andrew Dũng-Lạc and his Companions, Martyrs

First reading

2 Chronicles 24:18-22

'You have deserted the Lord: now he deserts you'

The Judaeans abandoned the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, for the worship of sacred poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. He sent them prophets to bring them back to the Lord, but when these gave their message, they would not listen. The spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said, ‘God says this, “Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord to no good purpose? You have deserted the Lord, now he deserts you.”’ They then plotted against him and by order of the king stoned him in the court of the Temple of the Lord. King Joash, forgetful of the kindness that Jehoiada, the father of Zechariah, had shown him, killed Jehoiada’s son who cried out as he died, ‘The Lord sees and he will avenge!’

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 30(31):3-4,6,8,16-17

Be a rock of refuge for me, a mighty stronghold to save me,for you are my rock, my stronghold. For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

Into your hands I commend my spirit. It is you who will redeem me, Lord.As for me, I trust in the Lord: let me be glad and rejoice in your love.

My life is in your hands, deliver me from the hands of those who hate me.Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your love.

Gospel

Matthew 10:17-22

The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.‘Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.’

Friday of week 33 in Ordinary Time, or Saint Clement I, Pope, Martyr
, or Saint Columbanus, Abbot and Missionary

First reading

Apocalypse 10:8-11

I was told to swallow the scroll, and to prophesy

I, John, heard the voice I had heard from heaven speaking to me again. ‘Go,’ it said ‘and take that open scroll out of the hand of the angel standing on sea and land.’ I went to the angel and asked him to give me the small scroll, and he said, ‘Take it and eat it; it will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.’ So I took it out of the angel’s hand, and swallowed it; it was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, ‘You are to prophesy again, this time about many different nations and countries and languages and emperors.’

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 118(119):14,24,72,103,111,131

I rejoiced to do your will as though all riches were mine.Your will is my delight; your statutes are my counsellors.

The law from your mouth means more to me than silver and gold.Your promise is sweeter to my taste than honey in the mouth.

Your will is my heritage for ever, the joy of my heart.I open my mouth and I sigh as I yearn for your commands.

Gospel

Luke 19:45-48

You have turned God's house into a robbers' den

Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.

Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr

First reading

Hosea 2:16,17,21-22

I will betroth you to myself for ever

The Lord says this:I am going to lead her out into the wildernessand speak to her heart.There she will respond to me as she did when she was young,as she did when she came out of the land of Egypt.I will betroth you to myself for ever,betroth you with integrity and justice,with tenderness and love;I will betroth you to myself with faithfulness,and you will come to know the Lord.

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 44(45):11-12,14-17

Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words: forget your own people and your father’s house.So will the king desire your beauty: He is your lord, pay homage to him.

The daughter of the king is clothed with splendour, her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.She is led to the king with her maiden companions.

They are escorted amid gladness and joy; they pass within the palace of the king.Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers: you will make them princes over all the earth.

Gospel

Matthew 25:1-13

The wise and foolish virgins

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.” They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said “open the door for us.” But he replied, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First reading

Zechariah 2:14-17

'I am coming', says the Lord

Sing, rejoice,daughter of Zion;for I am comingto dwell in the middle of you– it is the Lord who speaks.Many nations will join the Lord,on that day;they will become his people.But he will remain among you,and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you.But the Lord will hold Judahas his portion in the Holy Land,and again make Jerusalem his very own.Let all mankind be silent before the Lord!For he is awaking and is coming from his holy dwelling.

Psalm or canticle

Luke 1:46-55

My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

He looks on his servant in her nothingness; henceforth all ages will call me blessed.The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy his name!

His mercy is from age to age, on those who fear him.He puts forth his arm in strength and scatters the proud-hearted.

He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly.He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy,the mercy promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his sons for ever.

Gospel

Matthew 12:46-50

My mother and my brothers are anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven

Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’

Tuesday of week 33 in Ordinary Time

First reading

Apocalypse 3:1-6,14-22

If one of you hears me calling, I will come in to share his meal

I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: ‘Write to the angel of the church in Sardis and say, “Here is the message of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know all about you: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead. Wake up; revive what little you have left: it is dying fast. So far I have failed to notice anything in the way you live that my God could possibly call perfect, and yet do you remember how eager you were when you first heard the message? Hold on to that. Repent. If you do not wake up, I shall come to you like a thief, without telling you at what hour to expect me. There are a few in Sardis, it is true, who have kept their robes from being dirtied, and they are fit to come with me, dressed in white. Those who prove victorious will be dressed, like these, in white robes; I shall not blot their names out of the book of life, but acknowledge their names in the presence of my Father and his angels. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”‘Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea and say, “Here is the message of the Amen, the faithful, the true witness, the ultimate source of God’s creation: I know all about you: how you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other, but since you are neither, but only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. You say to yourself, ‘I am rich, I have made a fortune, and have everything I want’, never realising that you are wretchedly and pitiably poor, and blind and naked too. I warn you, buy from me the gold that has been tested in the fire to make you really rich, and white robes to clothe you and cover your shameful nakedness, and eye ointment to put on your eyes so that you are able to see. I am the one who reproves and disciplines all those he loves: so repent in real earnest. Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him. Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I was victorious myself and took my place with my Father on his throne. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”’

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 14(15):2-5

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?He who walks without fault;he who acts with justiceand speaks the truth from his heart;he who does not slander with his tongue.

He who does no wrong to his brother,who casts no slur on his neighbour,who holds the godless in disdain,but honours those who fear the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may;who takes no interest on a loanand accepts no bribes against the innocent.Such a man will stand firm for ever.

Gospel

Luke 19:1-10

Salvation comes to the house of Zacchaeus

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached